Universal pulley



May 10, 1927. 1,628,491

T. CRAWFORD UNIVERSAL PULLEY Filed Sept. 29, 192 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 M E mwam w T. CRAWFORD UNIVERSAL PULLEY May 10, 1927. 1,628,491

Filed Sept. 29. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1,628,491 May 1927' T. CRAWFORD UNIVERSAL PULLEY Filed Sept. 29, 192 3 Sheets-SheetS Patented May 1 1927.,

'UNij'lfEll stares r THOMAS GRA'WFORD, 0F PHILADELPEEXA. PENNSYLVANIA.

UNIVERSAL PULLEY..

Application filed September 29, 1926. Serial No. 138,487.

States-Letters Patent, filed January 20, 1926 Serial Number 82,595.

The principal ob ect otmy invention is to provide a pulley of the universal type which will permit rotation of the car truck around its" vertical axis without disturbing the alignment oi thedriving belt between the driving pulley on the axle of said truck and the pulley secured to the shaft of thegenerator. It will be understood that my inven tion is not limited to this particular application, as the invention may be used in any instance where a universal movement of the pulley with respect to its driving; shaft isdesired. I

Othcrbbjects and advantages of my invention will be more "fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying,

"drawings. wherein:

1 is a side elevation partly in section taken on the line 1-l of Fig: 2, and illus- Fig. 1 is a section on the line el-l of v Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing my improved pulley as applied to oneaxle of asupporting truckof a railway passenger car, and driving the electric lighting, generator which is mounted on the under part of said passenger car in the usual-man Fig. 6 is a: diagrammatic plan view of the and to rotate about a vertical axis 1 in the usual manner.

Suitably secured to the shaft 1 is a sleeve 5 which is provided with longitudinally extending; flanges 6, 6. Slidably mounted on the sleeve 5 is an. intermediate member 7 having a pair of longitudinally extending, groovesv 8, S, the sides of which are adapted to engage the flanges 6, 6 of the sleeve Spby means of which the member 7 is splined to the shaft or axle 1.

The member 7 is provided with a pair of grooves 9, 9 arcuate in form and disposed in a plane extending longitudinally of said shaft, into which project shoes or pivot members 10 10.

The shoes 10, 10 are provided with projectingliigs or truniiions 11. 11. and each trunnion is counterbored as at 12. for the reception of a coiled spring 13. Each lug or trunnion 11 is journaled in a bearing 14- integrally constructed with a pulley ring 15 having a crowned face 16. i

In the present instance. the sleeve 5 is in split form being composed of two identical members 5 and 5". Each of the members 5 and 5 is provided,- adjacent its respective ends; with a semi-annular clamping. member 18 provided with extending; lugs 19 19. A liner 21 of relatively thinfmaterials and formed. as shown in Fig; '1 ispositioned adjacent each end of the sleeve 5 intermediate. the said sleeve and the shaft 1, and bolts '20. 20' extend through apertures in the said lugs 19; 19 and provide means whereby the members 5 and 5" of the sleeve 5 may be drawn tightly on the liners 21 which are subsequently drawn againstthe' shaft 1 whereby the sleeve 5. liners 21 and the shaft 1 move as a-unit. The liners 21 permit normal flexing of the axle 1 intermediate the ends ofthe sleeve 5.

The splines 6i 6- are removed at each end adjacent the collars 18, as shown at 6, to prevent the packing of dirt, ice particles or other matter from accumulating in the corners which would otherwise be formed at the juncture of these two elements when the intermediate member 7 would be moved longitu dinally of the shaft 1.

The member 7 likewise is in split form, beingcomposed'of twoidentical sections 7 and. 7 Inorder to preserve perfect alignment between the members 7 and 7 each of said l'Utl till ring 15, the belt 32 i and the pulley 3-1 of the generator. In order to protect the edges of the belt from injury, the arms 36, 36 are flared outwardly in both directions from their centres, which provide a lead-in forthe belt regardless of the direction in which the car 3 may be traveling.

Intermediate the edges of the pulley ring 15 and the arms 36, 36, I provide a wear ring 40 of fibre or other suitable material which also functions to prevent noises of metal rattling against metal, as shown in the drawings. The wear rings 40 are secured by screws or other fastening means 41 to annular inturned flanges 42 formed integral adjacent the opposite edges of the pulley ring 15.

The liners 21 may be of any suitable material or construction. I prefer to make the liners in the form shown in Fig. 7, bending the otherwise tlatyielding member around the shaft and placing'it within and adjacent the ends of the sleeve 5, with one edge of each of the said members substantially flush with the respective end of the device.

In Fig. 8, the pulley ring is shown as having a flanged rim 16 in place of the crowned face 16, and the wear rings 40 secured to the flanges of the rim. In this figure, the splines 6, 6 are shown as being interrupted at 6* to permit the dirt and ice to be cleared therefrom in a. manner already described above, relative to the clearing openings 6 which also appear in the figure in addition to the openings 6".

While I have shown and described my improved universal pulley as the driving eleinent, obviously, under other circumstances than those illustrated in the drawing, the universal pulley may be attached to the driven shaft, with equal efficiency of operation, which may be positioned in a vertical or other an'gula'rly disposed plane. The pulley rim may also be replaced by a gear or sheave ring, and be driven in any desired manner.

Qtlrer' equivalent elements may be provided for accomplishing the result I obtain, without departing from the essential features of my invention. and while I have shown but one application involving the principles of the invention it is not to be construed as limiting the invention to the form illustrated, and I. therefore, desire that only such limitations be placed thereon as are prescribed in the appended claims and necessitated by the prior art of record.

I claim:

1. In combination with a railway passenger car having a body, a supporting truck pivotally connected to said body, an axle included in the elements of said truck, a resiliently pivoted electric generator on said body, and a driven pulley secured to the shaft of said generator; a longitudinally slidableuhivers'al driving pulley on said axle, a belt operatively connecting said pulleys; and means on the said body and engaging the driving pulley for maintaining true operative alignment between said belt and said pulleys, when said truck moving on a curve and whereupon said truck axle assumes an angular position and moves longitudinally with respect to the shaft of said generator.

2. The combination of a driven shaft rotat-ably mounted in substantially fixed bearings secured to a rigid frame; a driving shaft capable of universal and longitudinal movement, with respect to said driven shaft: a pulley secured to said driven shaft; a pulley on said driving shaft and adapted to be coordinately rotated therewith; a belt operativel y connecting said pulleys; and means on said rigid frame and engaging the driving pulley for maintaining true operative aligmnent between said belt and said pulleys, regardless of the angular and longitudinal m sulignn'ient assumed by said driving shaft with respect to said driven shaft, within the limits prescribed by the apparatus in which said elements are included.

3. The combimltion of a shaft; a universal pulley slidably connected to said shaft in a i-nanner to be coordinately rotated therewith; means intermediate said shaft and said pulley and including a pivot whereby oscillation of said pulley, longitudinally of said shaft. about a centre extending transversely of said shaft, is permitted; and means including a second pivot whereby oscillation of said pulley, longitudinally of said shaft. about a centre extending transversely of said shaft and at right angles with respect to the first mentioned centre of oscillation, is permitted, whereby universal movement of said pulley with respect to said shaft is obtained.

The combination of a shaft; a pulley; an intermediate member splined to said shaft; a pivot for said pulley on said inter- IilO iliillTO member and extending transversely of said shaft; and means including a second pivot for said pulley extending transversely of said shaft and at right angles to the first mentioned pivot, whereby universal and longitudinal movement of said pulley with respect to said shaft and coordinate rotation between said pulley and said shaft are obtained.

5. The combination of a shaft; a pulley: an intermediate member splined to said shaft; an arcuate groove formed in said intermediate member and disposed in a plane extending longitudinally of said shaft; shoes, slidably mounted in said arcuate groove, constituting a pivot for said pulley extending transversely of said shaft; and means including a second pivot for said pulley extending transversely of said shaft and at right angles to the first nientiol'ied pivot \vliereby universil and longitudinal movement ol' said pulley with respect to said shall; and eoordinate rotation of said pulley and said slia'tti are obtained.

(5. The eoinbination (it a sliatt: a pulley: an llllml'llttlliitt, member splined to said sl'ia'lit; pivot members mounted on said intern'iediate member and adapted to oscillate thereon; trunnions torn'uid on said pivot, members; a pulley iu q; bariin s on said ring: adapted to reeeive said trulmious: a eounterbore in eat-b of said trunnions; a spring: rontined in earli ol' said rounterlan'es. between tlie base thereof and tile base o't eaeb of said bearings on said ring.

7. The combination of a sliat'i; a split sleeve (aimprising a pair ot identiral 1ne1nbers on said sliatt: semiarmiilar elampin; members seenred to said split sleeve mean bers; bolts for set-urine said (damping members to said sbatt: an intermediate member: llan ees on said split sleeve constituting splines 't'or said intermediate member: pivotn'iembers on said intermediate member: trunnions on said pivot members: a pulley ring: bearings on said rim! a apt'ed to rt eeive said t unnions: and springs between said pivot members and said pullev ring.

ti. The eon'ibination ot a shaft; :1 split sleeve serured to said slml't: an intermediate l'mlll ltl' split tlirouab its eentro and tromposed of a pair of identical portions and splined to said sleeve; a n'otruding dowel in earl) of said portions; an aperture in tflt'll portion adapted to receive the protruding rlonel ol the opposite portion; pivot members on said intermediate member: trunnions on said pivot mei'nbeis: a split alley ring: means tor seruring: the separate portions of said ring: togetl'ier as a unit: bear inp s on said ring: for said trunnions: and springs between said ring: and said pivot members: \vbereby pressure is exerted tbrongrb said pivot members to said intermediate member and the individual parts llltflOUf held in lirm t-onlai't Willi tlle (oope 'atingr portions of the split sleeve.

9. Tllt" rombination ol a driving sliailt: a driven slia'lt: a rigid driven pulley set-ti d to said driren sbalit: a driving pulley on said driving); sbat'l; means within the driv- Lem tat ing pulley for peri'nittinp said drivii'rg shaft: to rereive a universal and a longitudinal movement v itli respect to said. driving: pulley; a brll operatively eonneeting said drivingand said driven pulleys; and a guide member engaging said driving pulley, \"i'liereby said t'lriving pulley is bold in true operative alignment with said rigid driven pu l ley.

it). The combination ot' a ibatt; a split sleeve eomprisin; a pair of identit-al members on said sliatt; semiannular elai'nping members set-tired to said split. sleeve members; bolts tor set-urine said .-lampin;: members to said slialt: liners intermediate said sleeve and said sba't't; an intermediate mem ber; {tang es on said split sleeve eonatituting splines for said, intermediate member; pivot members on said intermediate member; trunnious on said pivot members; a pulley rina'; bearings on said ring adapted to reeeive said truunions; and springs betaveen said pivot membera and said pulley ring);

it. 'llie eomlunation ot a tll'H'mg sbaitt; a

driven slzat't: a rizxid pulley secured to one oil sa d slia'lts; a flexible pulley on the other of said sliai'ts: means Within the llexible, pultoy for permitting its said sliail ti to receive a uni ersal and a long t'iulinal movement with respe -t to said Flexible pulley; a belt ope iltively eoimettiinr said l'lexible and said rigid pulleys: a guide member engaging 1-aid tlexil'ilt pulley. whereby said flexible pulley held in true operative alignment with said rie id pulley: and next r rings on said flexible pulley adapted to engage said guide member.

ii The roinbination of an outer rotary member: n1 rans tor niaintainimi' said member in a single plane ol rotation and a shall, unlversalt, runner-ted to said rotary men'iber and loiuritudinally slidalile tberein.

o. The ((n'nliination of an outer rotary member: means 'ior maintaining said member in a single plane (it rotation: a shall mounted in said rotary member: and an intermediate member splined to said sbaitita and universally -onneeted to said rotary member, whereby said Hllilftt? is capable. of universal moven'ient within said rotary member and is adapted to slide longitudinally within said inttanlediate member.

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